From: James.C.Anderson@williams.edu
Subject: FA-18 Hornet FAQ V1.7
Date: Mon, 04 Apr 1994 13:55:57 -0400
Enclosed is the newest version of the F/A-18 Hornet FAQ
The F/A-18 FAQ
V1.7
April 4, 1994
This is version 1.7 of F/A-18 FAQ. This FAQ is compiled largely from
input from F/A-18 players. There is always more that can be added, so feel
free to send additions, info, mission hints, etc. In addition to
contributions from players, this FAQ is compiled from my own limited
knowledge and stuff I've picked up from the net.
The FAQ is released once a month, as close to the beginning of the
month as my time permits. Is is also posted to sumex, wuarchive via the
mirror process and hopefully some kind sole with access to AOL will post
it up there, as well.
Please send all submissions to James.C.Anderson@williams.edu.
I will preface addtions to the faq with a > in the far left hand column.
This will allow current readers a "fast scan" for new info. As always,
comments, questions and suggestions are appreciated. Anything else of a
nonconstructive nature will be filed for future use....
The FAQ is organized as follows:
I. COMBAT
A. Defensive Strategies
B. Offensive Strategies
II. MISSION HINTS
III. INTERESTING SCENERY/ PLACES TO GO/ THINGS TO DO
IV. FLYING OTHER PLANES IN THE SIMULATION
V. ACTUAL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
VI. MISCELLANEOUS
A. Definitions of Frequently Used Terms
B. Archives
C. Patches
D. Release Notes
____________________________________________________________
I. COMBAT
____________________________________________________________
A. Defensive Strategies: (i.e. How do I avoid missiles?)
The best way to deal with missiles is, of course, don't get shot at.
Remember that you can launch at targets outside 10 miles away (you don't
have to be in ACM mode to target). If you don't consider it cheating, you
can always use the '5' key to see what the enemy you have targeted is (to
distinguish SAM sites from radar-guided AAA.)
Brad Ward (wardw@cs.colostate.edu) writes on how to take out SAM sites:
"The best way to knock out a SAM is to fly below 100ft (below their
radar). When you get into range of your AGM-88s (about 12 miles), pull up
to about 600ft and fire. Immediately drop down to below 100ft again so
that the SAM can't fire at you before it dies.
If you've got a threat indicator, dip below 100ft. If the indicator
turns off, then you've got a SAM nearby. If its still on, you've got an
enemy plane nearby."
You can also avoid SAMs by flying above them. Scott Cherkofsky notes that
you can fly above their range. They will still acquire and launch, but the
missiles will simply fall short. Of course, there's still the MiGs...
Unfortunately, in most missions, you will be shot at. Adam Talcott details
one method of avoiding missiles:
"The most important thing in avoiding a missile is to see it. I make
liberal use of the enemy view (the one that shows a view from your currently
selected target to you) to determine from where the missile was launched.
Normally, you'll have a good idea as to what launched the missile by your
range from each target.
Turn toward the missile and be sure you have enough altitude to perform an
inverted Split-S (exact altitude depends on your airspeed). When you see
the missile, invert and pull back on the stick while releasing chaff and
flares. Level off and release more chaff and flares. The idea is to
put the missile in a situation where it cannot react quickly enough to
your maneuver and misses you in favor of your countermeasures."
Also, some people find it helpful to quickly look at the external view
('3') to check for incoming missiles.
B. Offensive Strategies:
Launching missiles:
Adam Talcott writes:
I find that launching an AMRAAM when your target is less than 10 miles away
will almost guarantee a hit. Similarly, a Sidewinder launched when your
target is less than 5 miles away will more than likely hit the target. When
combined with a good approach for avoiding SAMs and other missiles, you can
survive long enough to to get a good shot off.
Finally, launching HARMs (and all guided A/G weapons) from a higher altitude
is very beneficial and allows it to descend at the proper rate. Fired too
low, guided A/G weapons seem to strike the ground short and miss the
target.
Also, when returning to base, don't fire missiles. Dieder Bylsma notes:
"On your way back from a mission, don't launch any missiles in the
general direction of your base...the base seems to get just as annoyed
as Hellcats and court-martials you for destroying allied property (or
something along that line) -- it was kinda humorous though! :-)"
Launching Camera Guided Weapons:
At a couple thousand feet altitude, try lining up in the direction of
the target, then engaging the autopilot (make sure TACN is off so it
doesn't send you to a waypoint). This should level out the plane, and
you are free to target without worrying about crashing.
> 1.1.x slaves the camera to the target select via "\" Activate E-O
>mode and then select teh target via any A/G radar mode. Camera will not
>track the target, but if you get to the screen fast enough, you can
>lock on fairly quickly. No more random searches...
Hitting targets:
You can often use your HARM missiles against your actual objective,
not just the missile sites you find on the way. Sometimes, hitting the
guns at enemy plants with HARMs can will take out the plants themselves.
Also look for enemy boats, etc. with your radar, so you can shoot
missiles at them. This way, you don't have to try and hit them with your
guns or vainly attempt to target them with an optically-guided missile.
Fly low:
It is generally accepted that flying low (<100ft) is a good way
to avoid detection, both by SAM sites and planes (if you're in silent
mode.) Noting the position of your shadow can help you control your
altitude. If, like most of us, you have trouble holding steady, you can
try lowering your landing gear. This slows you down and seems to make
control easier. It also kills the annoying 'Altitude' message...
> This tip pertains more to 1.0 than 1.1.0 and 1.1.1. In 1.1 and up,
>you need to maintain an arispeed of lower than 200 kts our your gear
>will be damaged. (Can you say belly landing?) The autopilot will
>keep you at ~100ft, but the detection of the SAM sites has improved
>and you need to be lower than ~75 ft to stay undetected.
Speed:
Use your afterburner to accelerate, then cut back to 100% Mil power
to maintain your current speed. This doesn't seem right, but that's
how it works in the game.
Also, unless you have a really heavy load, you can launch from a carrier
without using the catapult. Just hold the brake, go to AB6, and let go of
the brake.
> Again, 1.0... 1.1 and higher, use the cat...
____________________________________________________________
II. MISSION HINTS
____________________________________________________________
NOTE: This section can be considered to contains some 'spoilers.' Don't
read it if you don't want to know what's coming at you in a given
mission.
>Homecoming:
>-----------
>
>Herschel Gelman <hagst3+@pitt.edu> writes:
>
> Before taking off from the enemy base, the first thing you want to do is
>blow up some of the stuff at the base. As soon as your speed is high
>enough, activate your A/G gun and turn left. Blow up that red striped
>thing. You have to get it before the others, because otherwise an
>incoming missile will blow it up before you. Turn back, and get the two
>planes on the ground and that thing behind them. Four ground targets, as
>easy as it gets.
>
>Then I get onto the runway, going all out at AB6 (just for fun). For
>flashy takeoffs in most missions, set the TACN, go to the external view,
>and hit autopilot. It will automatically turn toward the target as it
>takes off--as it turns, your wing is mere inches off of the ground. Looks
>nice...
>
>As an added bonus, turning on autopilot at that point will place it in
><100 ft mode. This is good. Keep your radar silent, and start off flying
>straight towards your base at AB2 or AB3. I usually watch the
>distance-to-base and fuel-remaining-distance displays, and get my speed as
>high as possible, maintaining enough fuel to reach the base. Might as
>well switch on fast mode, too.
>
>Anyways, you'll run right under two enemy planes. They'll never see you.
>Just continue to the base, remember to slow down a lot (and turn off fast
>mode), then land. You'll never see the planes. (Then again, the planes
>aren't that much of a problem in this mission...)
>Incoming:
>---------
>
>Elliott Francis <franrod1@aol.com> writes:
>
>Here's the definitive solution for this mission that's given headaches and no
>promotions...
>
>First, load up stations 2 and 8 with dual sidewinders (AIM-9L (2) )
>All other wing stations stay the same. Also, take the extra fuel...you'll
>need it.
>
>The real trick to this mission lies in one area...TIME. Since the bomber
>releases its load at about 4 min./30 sec you need to get to it quickly and
>quietly...here's how.
>
>Start your clock as soon as you hit the runway. Punch in AB6 and fly to
>500-800 ft. Cut the afterburner and head to waypoint 1 with autopilot
>engaged. When your heading matches waypoint, turn off the TACAN and
>autopilot and decend to just under 100 ft. Engage the autopilot, (without
>TACAN) go back to AB6 and the avionics will keep you on the straight and
>narrow just under the radar ceiling (97-99 ft) Despite this automated
>function, you should keep an eye on it...every now and then, you may bounce
>up to 100 ft and escort radar will find you too early. adjust
>accordingly..and run your radar silent, so they can't see you. Select your
>AIM-120's, sit back and enjoy the ride...
>
>Cruise untill your time reaches 3min/45sec. Pull up, cut the AB's, turn on
>your radar (RWS) locate and select the bomber on the screen and in the 5 view
>if you like. Although it's flying with two escorts, you were too low and
>silent to pick up. They're now behind you, thinking 'It's Miller Time.' and
>the bomber should be the only blip on the screen. Don't let the lock signal
>shake you...It's gonna take them awhile to sort things out. Meanwhile, climb
>to 4500-5000 ft. Then, level with the horizon and check your distance with
>the bomber...This is key. You should be no more than 10 mi. away from the
>bomber. Any further, and the AMRAAM's and winders act like they're flying
>south for the winter or do a proximity hit with little effect. The
>3min/45sec mark is essential for this to happen, 5 seconds too soon and your
>too far out...five seconds later and you may not catch it before it begins
>bombing.
>
>Release both AMRAAM's (and maybe a winder) at the bomber, and ring the
>dinner bell.."It's toast!" Immediatly pull an Immelman (half loop with a 180
>flip on the horizon) to get in back of the escorts. They're still pretty
>clueless and heading away from you but this won't last for long and you've
>got to act fast. When you level with the horizon, head left and they'll pop
>up on the screen closest to you. The third blip is a friendly so make sure
>you identify. Give 'em' two winders apiece and be prepared to do what ever
>your good at in close combat. Because of the range (7-5 mi.) this usually
>takes them out before they get a shot off, but occationally one does and you
>gotta do the "chaff and flare dance" or one survives and its you, him and the
>cannon...Mano y Mano.
>
>The lock you'll continue to hear, is a distant SAM site...your option. If
>you head straight home to collect your ribbon and promotion they'll never
>fire.
Black Gold:
-----------
This is an excellent mission for practicing the basics if you are
a beginner. It has one SAM site and one incoming enemy plane. Practice
taking out the SAM site with an AGM-88 or with gunfire. Similarly,
try taking out the plane with Sidewinders, 120s, or the cannon. If you
take out the radar-guided gun at the refinery site, you are free to
practice any sort of bombing you want.
You Can't Hide:
---------------
To complete the mission without ever seeing the enemy, fly
towards the plant. Your ground radar should show two sites, the
second of which is the radar guided AAA at the plant. Launch your
AGM-88s when you get within 20 miles. If you want, send your
120s at the closest of the planes trying to intercept you (about 20
miles away at that point) Turn around and head for home. If you
bring 4 88s, you shouldn't have any problem hitting it at that
range.
Jaymie Parker gives another approach:
This is real simple. Take some big bombs. Preferably one nuke. Fly away
from the target until you reach twenty-thousand feet. Now head for the
target but continue gaining altitude so you ar at thirty-thousand feet
when you are over the target. Dive, and drop your bombs when you are 30
seconds away from the target. You should have them all dispatched before
you reach fifteen thousand feet. Then go to full A/B until you are back
above twenty thousand feet. The SAM's will fall short of you if you get
back up fast enough. Now just fly home. I've never met a single plane
on this mission.
Bird Down: Jaymie Parker writes:
Take two AIM-9's and four AIM-120's. Begin heading for way point one
and watch for the Mig's on your VS radar. Be sure to use IFF to be sure
that they are not the helicopter or the AWAC. Target the closest one as
soon as you find it with the 120's. Wait until it is in range an then
launch immediately. Target the other and launch. Repeat this with the
remaining two 120's. Then again with the Sidewinders if needed. Then
just fly around following the helicopter. There will be two planes on
radar, one is the chopper the other is the AWAC. Continue flying
around with chopper until it is over waypoint 2 then land. Do not land
until the chopper is safely over waypoint 2 or it get's destroyed.
Pull the Plug:
--------------
Jim McKee (dakota@world.std.com) writes:
After taking off, climb to 50,000 ft while circling your base. Head for
the dam. As you approach the dam, SAMs will start exploding under you
(you'll hear them, but they won't touch you because of your altitude).
Site and select the dam using your FLIR. Dive toward the dam until your
impact indicator covers the selection diamond, and then release your
B-57's. Mash your afterburner switch and climb back to 50,000 ft to avoid
incoming SAMs. If you want to take a look at the water pouring down into
the river valley, bank your plane and look out the side.
Return to your base maintaining high altitude until you're about 3 miles
away (by your NAV display), then dive toward the runway and bring your
baby home. Works every time.
> 1.1.1 has a bug in it's "trophospheric" table... (that's what I heard
> atleast) What this means, basically, is this strategy won't work
> because you can't get to 50,000 ft.
Siqi Tan (sneaky@uclink.berkeley.edu) gives a nuclear-free strategy:
The mission pull the plug is easy to accomplish. You do not need any
Nukes at all. 2 Anti-Radar missiles or 2 A-120 and a pair of bomb or 1
Maverick will do. Take off from your home base and make a 90 degree
right turn. Use the ARAD Radar to locate a patrol boat on the river.
This patrol boat is relatively far away from all other SAM sites and AA
guns. Fly about 3000ft toward this patrol boat and kill it once you
are in range. At this point your flight path should be perpendicular to
the river. Fly to the river and make a left 90 degree turn so you are
flying along the river and headed toward the valley between the two
mountains. At this point, reduce speed to about 300 nm and altitude to
about 100 ft. Use the ARAD radar to select the second patrol boat on
the river (this is the only guy that can cause you some trouble), and
kill it. Once the second patrol boat is killed, you can fly toward the
dam at about 100ft with no worries. Once you are inside the valley
(between the two mountains), you can increase your altitude to about
600 ft. At this point, you can simply lock on to the dam with your
maverick, or bombs. If you don't have any bombs, you can even use the
anti-Radar missile to hit the dam. The key is that you have to get in
within 100 ft of the dam before firing. After the dam is destroyed,
you can go home easily.
The Bridge:
-----------
Tom Morrisson writes:
Three stages:
1. Take out two enemy planes (3 AIM-9s per plane)
2. Take out SAM sites (1 AIM-120 per site)
3. Destroy bridge (4 hits with MK-82)
Ordinance: The best way I've found so far is to carry 6 Aim-9s, two
120s, and the rest as MK-82LD.
Take out two enemy planes:
Upon take-off, and fly with AB6 till you're at 500 nm/hr and then cut
back to 100%. This lets you get well ahead of the general, so you can
waste the enemy planes and SAMs before he gets there. Set your radar to
VS and set your flight vector to a direction a little ahead of the enemy
planes. Fly < 100 ft towards the enemy planes to avoid detection. As
you fly closer to the planes, re-adjust radar so that you eventually are
using TWS (This will help you better gauge distance and flight
direction.) When both planes are in range, fire 3 Aim-9s per plane,
while still remaining under 100 ft. The planes seem to be paying
attention to the poor General, who is sometimes meeting his fate around
the time. This technique almost always removes the planes from action.
(If one is still alive, fire a 120 at it to finish it off, then you'll
have to strafe one of the SAM sites.)
Take out SAM sites:
Turn towards the SAMs and activate the ground ARAD radar and adjust the
range to 10 nm. There are two of SAM sites, the front most and the rear
most. Lock onto the front most SAM and launch 120s or strafe. Then
turn toward the second SAM site and launch your second 120. If you have
to strafe this site, avoid flying over the AA sites because they will
turn you into Swiss Cheese. Remember to keep below 100 ft while doing
this.
Destroy the Bridge:
Once the SAMs are destroyed, you're relatively free to drop the bombs on
the bridge. If you stay above 3000 ft. and the AA are not very
effective. It takes four bomb hits to successfully destroy the bridge,
one on each ramp and one on each half of the bridge spans. I prefer to
use MK-82LD because I have trouble getting the AGM-65Es to work well from
high elevations. If the General manages to drop bombs, he takes out the
bridge spans.
Intercept Santa:
----------------
Dieder Bylsma (dbylsma@herman.cs.uoguelph.ca) suggests:
"Get an extra fuel tank and head off to Waypoint 2 to nail the 'cargo'
plane (an L-1011 by the looks of it?) with a few AMRAAMs fired at
range. Don't forget to jettison the tank when you're finished with it!
(Take a look in the external view when it is jettisoned...nice job!)"
Dieder notes that carrying an extra fuel tank works well for most
other missions, too. If you decide you don't want it, you can always
jettison it.
Also Dieder notes that you can complete the mission by putting
a crater in the runway (with a Durandal or just a regular bomb):
"The poor transport plane looses its landing gear when it rolls over a
bomb crater. The result is successful mission completion. (The runway
seems to be made of swamp because half of the dropped bombs make big
splashes and leave no craters.)"
Finally, Dieder also gives a trick for this mission:
"This is kind of sneaky, but in intercept Santa, there's the airport
located at waypoint 2. There are *no* air defenses around it. So take
yourself over there, land, and wait for the plane to come by and then
launch your AMRAAMs while stationary once the plane is in view. Once it
is smoking, power up and tackle those advanced fighters. Or if you're
feeling less adventuresome than that, fly back to base. Whatever
happens, ensure that you are gone in the air by the time that the cargo
plane crashes."
Road to Destruction:
--------------------
In this one, you've got two enemies flying right at
the carrier (real smart). To get off the deck in a hurry, just crank
it up to AB6. Dieder Bylsma notes that you can actually start
launching at these guys from the deck. He also notes that you can
just crater the road. The bad guys will fall in and you'll get a
successful mission.
Tanks Anyway:
-------------
John Manning (pmodern@aol.com) writes:
"You have to take care of three fighters and a SAM site before
you can bomb the storage facilities.
Load: 6 AIM-9s, 2 AIM-120s, and the rest as MK-82LD.
Plane 1: Take off, head towards waypoint 1 and turn on VS radar at
80nm range. Head toward the leftmost fighter and drop below 100ft.
Fly under him, pull an Immelman and get him from behind with one or
two Sidewinders.
Planes 2 and 3: Once you've disposed of the first bogey, switch on
TACN and autopilot and head toward waypoint 1 again. Put your radar
in RWS mode at 40 miles. You may see Captain Smith engaging the other
two fighters approximately 20 miles ahead; he's usually been shot down
my now, though. Drop below 100ft again and head toward the fight.
Use one of the AIM-120s and a Sidewinder to take out the advanced
fighter (check which one you've targeted by using the '5' key), then
drop the MIG with your remaining Sidewinders. They usually get off a
couple of shots at you, so use proper missile-avoidance techniques.
SAM: Head toward waypoint 2, put your radar into ARAD mode at 20nm
range, and take out the SAM with your second AIM-120 (these seem to
work every time against SAM trucks, unlike the AGM-88s).
> Using 120's as anti-radar missles is no longer valid in 1.1.x
Storage tanks: Each tank farm has a main building cluster and two rows
of oil tanks. Use the MK-82s on the buildings and strafe the tanks.
You need to destroy at least half of the tanks at each facility in order
to get mission credit."
Josh Laurence (hcaddict@aol.com) gives this strategy:
"The neat thing about this one is you'll have multiple bogeys
closing in on the you from both sides out of sight of your radar. So,
load up with missiles only, 4 120's, 2 Aim9's and 2 Harms (I might also
strongly suggest a drop tank) and motor out towards the right of W1.
Don't worry about your wingman - he's not that aggressive and will die.
You MUST down the outside planes - a Mig 27 on your right, an SU 27
right in front of you and another on the left. I like going after the
Mig first. So bring your speed up as high as you can until your drop
tank is empty (12k lbs on the meter). Jettison the tank and drop to
military power.
Down the three enemies - no easy task - and remember to stay well out
of range of the SAM site. Don't waste your AA missiles, you'll need
them later. Once they're dead or running, head for the waypoint 1. Now
for the fun part. Bring your speed real low - 250 to 300 kts and line
up with one of the two rows of fuel tanks at about 50 - 100 feet. With
SHORT bursts on the gun take out a line at a time. With practice, you
should kill the whole field in three passes - and don't forget the
tank by the office building.
After the first target is eliminated, find the NEW Sukhoi doing the
dawn patrol. If you don't find him, he'll find you. Again, make sure
you're also not near the one SAM site. Down the Mig, stomp the Samvan
and at you leisure continue on to the other two targets.
Make sure to keep a close eye on your fuel and ammo levels. It takes a
long time to get everything done with this job but it's certainly worth
the payoff at the end."
Red Ball Express:
-----------------
John Manning (pmodern@aol.com) writes:
"Use the recommmeded load. Fly on autopilot towards waypoint 1
(the airbase) with your radar in silent mode. When you're within 10nm
of the base, turn on ACM to make sure no enemy interceptors are in the
air. There are three fighters waiting at the far end of the runway.
Drop your BLU-107s on the runway just in front of them to keep them
sitting there, then swing around and bomb the planes with your MK-83LDs.
You can then take your time bombing the plant at waypoint 2.
Once I destroyed the runway but didn't bomb the planes, and they started
rolling across the desert! They drove about a mile from the base and then
just sat there."
Dave Zack gives another approach:
"I have a quick little trick for playing "Red Ball Express" in F18. This
is really a pretty easy mission but I found a neat little way to do it.
When you get in the air there are two initial threats, two air defense units.
Take them out with your 88's. You can actually fly home at this point if
you want but that would be too easy. It seems the defense set up their
AA too close to the secret lab so when you take out the AA the lab gets
bombed too. Now to my neat little trick. Switch over to the ground radar,
the one that tracks ground movement. You will see three enemy fighters
scrambling to get you. You can get these guys two ways: traditional: Let
them get airborne, they are going so slow they are meat and you can get
them with sidewinders or even cannon. Other way: this is my trick. You
can target these guys right after you take out the AA with 88's or 120
(the 120's probably won't work after the patch). You can blast them all
before they get off the ground OR just take out the lead one. I have
watched them if you just take out the lead one. They just sit there because
there is rubble in their way and they can not take of. Good strafing
practice! Once these guys are gone, proceed to bomb the hell out the
base and plant....mega points! Look for a moving jeep..."
Finally, Bill Lee (bill@appleoz.apple.oz.au@appleoz.apple.oz.au)
summarizes his strategy:
"The trick for Red Ball Express may be summarized:
1) Radar will alert the target: don't use it first.
2) You don't need a nuke to destroy the primary target. You
do however need to kill three enemy planes quickly...
Here's a step-by-step method of achieving the above two aims.
a) Select your weapons: Two nukes will not be needed. I find
the following mix quite useful, although another mix follows.
S1: AIM-9 S9: AIM-9
S2: AGM-88B S8: B-57
S3: MK-82LD (2) S7: MK-82LD (2)
S4: AIM-120 S6: AIM-120
S5:MK-82LD (2)
(this mix is for those who are not the best at bombing,
and need plenty of bombs to hit the target)
S1: AIM-9 S9: AIM-9
S2: AIM-9 (2) S8: B-57
S3: AGM-88B S7: AGM-88B
S4: AIM-120 S6: AIM-120
S5:MK-82LD (2)
(This mix allows maximum points, max protection. It is
riskier, as you have to be spot-on with all bombs for
maximum points)
b) Throttle up to 100% and swing around to the right, taking
the runway 330. Line yourself up and press "w" to switch
on the TACAN for your first target. Do NOT turn on your
radar. Take off and select an approx 7 degree climb.
c) Fly manually on the TACAN 1 bearing. Turn on FAST mode if
you want. Meanwhile, select AIM-120s for A/A mode and
the B-57 in the A/G mode.
d) One minute from target - turn off fast mode if is is on.
You should be at least 12k feet by now.
e) Fifteen seconds from target, invert and select A/G mode
(i.e. the B-57!). The trick is that you are going to drop
this on your secondary target, the enemy airfield, rather
than the factory. This will eliminate all three enemy
aircraft on the ground in one stroke, and score some ground
targets. If you are really good, you might be able to
use an AGM-88B to take out the AAA battery before you drop
your B-57. Anything on pylon S2 goes when the B-57 on pylon
S8 is dropped anyway.
f) Select the runway nearest the control tower as the target
of the pipper. Guide ball onto pipper, and pull away hard.
Don't go below 3000 ft.
g) If you have been illuminated by radar, turn on your 10 mile
ACM mode, ECM, and switch to A/A weapons. Kill any plane
that has made it into the air. Watch the area around the
end of the runway.
h) Once you are sure that you are alone, select target 2 on the
TACAN and fly towards it. If you have an AGM-88B, use it
on the AAA battery near the target. Climb to at least 6000 ft
(and don't ever go below 3000 if the AAA is still alive).
i) Ten second from target, invert and locate target. Locate the
drop point of iron bombs (MK-82s) to between the two towers
at the end of the long building. Guide ball onto pipper and
then pull away (again watch out for AAA if is is still alive).
j) Repeat h)-i) until there are no buildings standing. You can't
get the water tower, so forget it.
k) Fly home, but take out the other AAA battery at the enemy
airfield if you have a spare AGM-88B.
This method should score at least 3 planes, 1 factory and 9 ground
targets."
Turkey Shoot:
-------------
John Manning (pmodern@aol.com) writes:
1. Load six AIM-9s, two AIM-120s and an extra fuel tank.
2. Take off and head toward waypoint one. Use afterburners to goose
your speed to 550 knots or so. When TACAN says you're 10 miles from
wp2, switch your heading to waypoint 1.
3. After a couple of miles, turn off autopilot and drop below 100 ft.
Use brief radar peeks to adjust your heading so you're comingb up on
their six. Don't switch the radar into ACM mode, because the
auto-targeting will warn the bogeys.
4. When you're less than five miles from the hindmost plane, turn on
your Sidewinders and fire one at each of the planes, as quickly as
possible, making sure you bring each target square inside the aiming
ring to improve your chances of hitting them.
5. They almost always get a couple of missles off at you. Dodge them
(that's the tricky part -- if you survive the initial round
you can almost always win the mission).
6. Swing back around and check out the remaining planes. Target them,
then use the '5' key to see if they're smoking; a damaged plane
on a downward path usually crashes, but one flying level or
rising is worth taking out with one of the AIM-120s.
7. If your threat indicator is beeping, keep circling and try to find
undamaged planes. They are often above you. Hunt them down
and kill them with your Vulcan if you're out of missles.
This works most of the time. The key is surviving the initial
enemy missle barrage with your radar and weapons functioning."
Red Glare:
----------
Josh Laurence (hcaddict@aol.com) provides this solution:
"This is one of my personal favorites. It's got Air to Ground, Air to
Air, and Tactical targets. It's also difficult because you need to get
things done in a hurry, the clock is ticking.
Try loading up with four AAMRAMs, two HARMs, two AIM's, and the extra
fuel. Take off on AB1, climb at AB4 up to 20,000 feet. Make sure
you're doing at least 400kts and turn the AB off. You'll need the
speed to get to the SAM site quickly. Before you get there, the
Missile site should lock onto you at about 25 miles out. Don't let
this bother you or shake your game plan, he won't launch until you're
much closer. Just remember to keep a watchful eye on the Sukhoi
heading away from you toward his base.
At about 20 miles from the SAM site, Lock on to the truck and unload
one of the 120's. At that height, the missile has a great chance of
knocking out the target. Switch radar modes and make sure the Su-27
isn't turning around towards you. If he is, leave the radar on
because he can see you now. Start your descent towars the radar truck.
You should time it to reach 15,000 feet at about 15 miles out, and
when you do, lock on target and shoot the HARMs.
Hit the afterburner and select the Sukhoi. He should be climbing
because your altitude has made it difficult for him to get a tone on
you. When he does, make sure you have at least two missiles streaking
towards him before begining evasive maneuvers. A pair of split S's
should get you out of the soup, but if it doesn't, shoot the
Sidewinders at him and try an Immelman. By the time you get out of
that, the truck should be smoke and the Sukhoi should be running for
cover, if it can still fly.
Now for the Tactical part of the plan. There is a brown patch of
ground, darker than usual, near the end of the road (not the enemy
base). The SCUD launchers are on either side inside it. You should
have at least a thousand, preferrably five thousand feet below you to
dive at the targets. Turn on the GMTI radar and lock onto the near
one, select the gun, and bring your speed down to about 200 kts.
The lower speed will give you more shots at the target. You might
also want to bring your gear down, in case you drop too quickly before
getting to the target. You must hit both the trucks on your first
pass, or they've won. The steeper your descent, the better the line on
them. Knock out the first without gaining too much speed. You don't
want to overshoot the second. Getting the second one is kind of
difficult, but is possible if you pull straight up, roll 180x, nose
down onto it, roll 180x, and kill it. The rolling prevents the red
out. It's easier than you think.
Once you've got the second launcher you can kill the third the easy
or hard way. The easy way: Land and drive over to it. Shoot it dead,
and use the road to take off. The hard way: dive and strafe it as it
drives across your line of vision. Once you've killed it, it's Miller
time. Don't worry about the bogey approaching from your base, it's an
AWACS. That's all there is to it.
Two important things to try to do in all missions are to a) fly high
and fast, and b) fly silent as long as you can, it really does help
give you the jump in AA combat.
Many people have been reporting having trouble getting the bomber
to explode, even after several hits. Some have taken it out with
just one or two hits, but that is not the norm. Some people have
advocated trying to hit him with head-on shots, but we're still
looking for a good way to solve this one...
bylsma@unixg.ubc.ca (Dieder Bylsma)
In non-time sensitive missions, should you wish to be wimpish, you can
always set the mission on fast and let the planes/opponents run out of
fuel and then attack. Since they crash land, you get the credit! Also,
once they've landed, intact or otherwise, they are indestructible. See
Chemical Dependance for an example.
Missions: Hey, we need your help! Please send your hints to
James.C.Anderson@williams.edu. Thanks!
____________________________________________________________
III. INTERESTING SCENERY/ PLACES TO GO/ THINGS TO DO
____________________________________________________________
In Hawaii, where there's more time to browse, look for:
-Waikiki Beach. Hotels, beach umbrellas, sailboats, and hordes of
tourists defacing the natural beauty of the island. Strafe away...
-The Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor.
-Honolulu International Airport. Try landing on the roof.
-An active volcano on the Big Island. You can land on this, too.
-A lighthouse on north-east Kauai
-A cliff on the north shore of Molokai
In the Persian Gulf:
-There are reported sightings of an actual Easter Egg floating over an
airport near lake Bahr al Mith west of Baghdad...
-Try driving instead of flying. Apparently they are kind enough not
to shoot at pilots on the ground.
-Try killing an enemy plane with a bomb. Not easy, but it's been done.
-Drop a nuke beside a carrier.
Sightseeing in Kuwait City - John Manning (pmodern@aol.com) writes:
-Choose the "Pull the Plug" mission (if you don't have Jim Baughman's
great little mission chooser program you should get it). Take off
and climb to 15,000ft at a heading of 85 degrees. When you see the
Persian Gulf ahead, turn on your radar in RBGM mode. After a while
you'll see the Gulf appear at the top of your radar screen; adjust
your heading so the river (that little line running from the west
into the Gulf) is centered on your radar. When the river mouth is
nearly at the bottom of the radar display, tab to 40nm range and
switch to SSS mode. You should see several dots on the screen. If
you don't see the dots, switch between RBGM and SSS until you do. When
the dots appear, immediately hit the target select key, then press the
'5' key to look at what you've locked onto. Cycle through the objects
and you'll see, among other things:
a mosque
a small light house
several offshore oil platforms
a refinery with many different objects, including the spheroids.
To see the suburbs, find the mosque. It's in a small brown square
on the southern lobe, where Kuwait City is marked on the map. Drop
below 400 feet and fly over the mosque at a heading of 205 degrees.
After a brief flight you'll see small brown buildings sprouting like
mushrooms from the desert.
Like the Easter egg, the buildings can't be damaged. I landed and
drove through a few of them, then took off and remembered I had a
nuke, so I tried to blow them up that way. Nope. It seems adobe is
stronger than I thought.
>____________________________________________________________
>IV. FLYING OTHER PLANES IN THE SIMULATION
>____________________________________________________________
>
>From: wardo@expert.cc.purdue.edu (Wardo )
> Missionsing the OPTION key while selecting "Tour of Duty", one is
> given a dialogue box prompting for mission number and airplane. It
> is CASE-sensitive.
>
> WARNING!!! This is an undocumented feature added to F/A-18 1.1.*
> It should also be mentioned that it is not supported by GS; and, I
> imagine that the people at GS will not do too much to assist you if
> your program/computer crashes. I have not had any problems on my
> Centris650, and cannot foresee any reason that it should due to this
> feature, but still. . . .
>
> I have been diligent in trying to list all airplanes that can be flown
> for each mission. This is not exhaustive, since I have yet to find
> which mission the DC10 is flown, though.
>
> It should be noted that the only difference with switching airplanes
> is your initial starting position is different and that the external
> view (pressing key 3) is different than when flying FA18. Of
> course, B52G, DC10, and AWAKs carry a hell of a lot of fuel, so they
> are good for exploring the theatre. Also, this feature can only be
> used in theatre mode and NOT during training or networks. Finally,
> you no longer need Mission Chooser since you can simply type FA18 for
> the Hornet at the airplane prompt and you are off!
>
> Case-sensitive, so copy exactly!
> MISSION # AIRPLANES MISSION NAME
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> 01 MG27 BLACK GOLD
> 02 AWAK BIRD DOWN
> MG27
> 03 MG27 YOU CAN'T HIDE
> 04 MG27 HOMECOMING
> 05 SU27 JUST SAY NO
> 06 MG27 DUCK HUNT
> 07 B52G BOMBER RUN
> MG27
> 08 F117 WARM WELCOME
> MG27
> SU27
> TU20
> 09 MG27 SWITCHING SIDES
> SU27
> 10 MG27 CHEMICAL DEPENDENCE
> SU27
> 11 MG27 HEADS UP
> SU27
> 12 MG27 INCOMING
> SU27
> TU20
> 13 MG27 RED GLARE
> SU27
> 14 SU27 INTERCEPT SANTA
> TU20
> 15 SU27 ROAD TO DESTRUCTION
> 16 MG27 TURKEY SHOOT
> 17 B52G SURF'S UP
> F111
> SU27
> 18 A10A HIGH FLYER
> SU27
> 19 F117 NIGHT HAWK
> MG27
> 20 MG27 THE BRIDGE
> 21 MG27 CHOPPER HOP
> 22 SU27 NIGHT THREAT
> 23 MG27 BAD WATERS
> 24 MG27 BURNING WATER
> SU27
> 25 SU27 HOLE IN ONE
> 26 SU27 TANKS AWAY
> 27 (NONE) RED BALL EXPRESS
> 28 (NONE) PULL THE PLUG
>
>From: bylsma@unixg.ubc.ca (Dieder Bylsma)
>
> Here are some more tips for F/A 18...
>
> Select the SU27 in Red Glare. Now, once you're flying in his ship
>you can see his armanents which are some AIMs and AMRAAMs. This is
>particularily useful for all sorts of missions. Once you know what
>you're facing, then you can prepare! Doing this and you'll see that at
>least one of the Mig-27s in Welcome Home has no armanent at all
>except for his guns.
>
> There's an F117A in Red Glare! Once you've come back, you'll see a
>black speck orbiting your airport. Funnily enough you can see him but
>you can't see him on radar...using the cheat (any plane cheat) reveals
>that the F117A is busy taking off from the desert floor and uses about
>1/2 of his fuel at AB6 to get airborne. After that, what his mission
>is, is a mystery!
>
> Using the cheat, you will discover that should you select your target,
>i.e. your plane on the ground, the B52G, the F111 or whatever, i.e. the
>opposing side, the plane can be nearly unshakeable in its determination
>to get to the target. See the terrorist mission (Road to Destruction)
>with the SU27 and lock onto your own F/A 18 on the carrier. Or, see
>what happens in Heads Up (3 fighter bombers going for your base) when
>you choose the SU27. It just aims for that poor chopper and nails it
>with its brethren SU27!
____________________________________________________________
V. ACTUAL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
____________________________________________________________
Most of these questions are irrelevent with the release of 1.1.0
and 1.1.1. I will be deleting all references to 1.0 bugs in the
next FAQ
> Final warning....
-My copy has a lot of bugs. Is this normal? Will it get fixed?
Version 1.0 of Hornet clearly had a lot of bugs. The version 1.1
upgrade should be out after about December 18,1993. Jon Blum of Graphic
Simulations explains:
"We will soon be releasing an update to Hornet which has evolved from
a simple bug fix patch, into a full blown upgrade with a new flight
model, better database (more detail), loads of new features including
difficulty preferences, and more options for flexibility such as night
mode in any mission. We will also have ARA support and tuned flight
models for different control methods (Thrustmaster, Gravis,
keyboard, mouse and powerbook trackball). Much more to come!
The release patcher will be sent free of charge to all registered
owners, and will also be uploaded to major online services and the
internet."
GS has also summarized the new changes as:
- ARA support & optimized network code.
- Thrustmaster support
- New radar functionality
- New EO functionality
- New preferences including difficulty Levels
- Ability to choose missions
- New scenery
- New flight model
- New AOA indexer
- Numerous bug fixes including replay/continue mission.
-Does F/A-18 work over a modem?
No, at this time, it does not support modem play or ARA. GS says it
will support ARA soon, though. (see above question)
-Does it work on a 660av?
Yes.
-How fast a machine do you need to run it? How does the speed compare to
Hellcats?
On a slower machine (stock IIsi or lower) some find the game rather
slow (somewhat more than Hellcats), though most still find it
playable and fun. As with Hellcats, having a faster machine does make
the game run better. After telling myself I needed it for academic
purposes, I bought a 50MHz accelerator for my IIsi. Now both
games are faster, smoother, and even more fun than before.
-Does it work on a powerbook with an external monitor?
Yes, although it seems to have more cosmetic bugs this way.
-How about on just on the powerbook's internal screen?
Yes, it will work. Some people complain that the screen is too slow
to redraw. Also, using the trackball may be difficult, but some
even like it better than a mouse.
-Where is a good place to buy it?
Any major mail-order house should have it. It should cost about
$45 + s/h. Software stores also carry it but generally charge more.
-What is the highest score anyone has completed a tour of duty with?
Dunno. Feel free to send me scores for future editions.
-Why don't the rudders work well?
Try hitting the key several times. Apparently there are several
settings. Remember to center then when you are done turning.
-What's wrong with my replay?
There are some major, (we mean real major, and even humorous) bugs in
the playback. Graphic Simulations says a bug fix will be out soon.
-Is the F/A-18 fly-by wire?
Yes. Specifically, the FCS mechanization is quadruplex CBW to the
horizontal stabilizers and trailing edge flaps, and dual CBW to each
aileron, leading edge flap and rudder (I don't know, I just took it
out of the manual)
-How do I stop my Mousestick from drifting off-center?
The Gravis Mousestick does seem to have a problem with drifting
off-center as you play. To fix this temporarily, pause the game, then
run the stick in circles as far as it will go several times.
Do make sure that your rudder is centered, though, before assuming
the stick is broken.
If the drift problem is severe, call Gravis. Apparently some of the
sticks contain ROMs (they'll tell you if you're included from your
serial number) that allow drift. They will replace them, but you have
to send the stick in.
-When will we get more mission disks for F/A-18?
GS is currently working on bug fixes for F/A-18. After that, they have
said they will try and resolve some some compatibility issues with
Hellcats, then write missions for F/A-18. So it will be a few months.
-I registered a month ago and haven't gotten my unlock code. Has anyone?
GS seems to have a backlog of these things. Some people (who registered
as soon as it came out) just got theirs, so they are sending them out,
though it seems to be taking over a month.
Also, faxing your registration card in seems to take care of the
problem. GS will just fax you back the unlock code - your wait should
be measured in hours, not weeks.
-My disk #2 is bad. Do I have to wait weeks to play the game?
This is a common problem, so GS has allowed disk #2 to be uploaded for
anonymous ftp from cs.ucdavis.edu in the directory /pub/FA-18.
Occasionally, the system there automatically deletes it, so if it is
not there, e-mail Todd Heberlein at heberlei@cs.ucdavis.edu who will
repost it for you. Also be sure to get the README file he has written
which gives very clear instructions on how to process the file.
If you don't have ftp access, you'll have to call GS and have them
send you another one.
-Are there any other FAQs for Mac flight sims?
Yes, there is an extensive FAQ for Hellcats over the Pacific. You can
get it from the archive listed in the next section.
-Why do I suffer damage from missiles that seem to miss me?
The missiles have proximity fuses - they detonate when near the
target. That's part of the reason you suffer varying degrees of
damage. If a missiles goes off far away, you may just lose a few
systems. A direct hit, on the other hand, can end things in a hurry.
-How do I tell what direction I'm going if my HUD goes dead?
You can use the moving map as a compass, as North is always up.
____________________________________________________________
VI. MISCELLANEOUS
____________________________________________________________
A. Definition of Frequently Used Terms (What do they mean when they say...)
A-10 - A new simulator by Eric Parker, the lead programmer for
Hellcats, who has since left GS. It is due out early next year.
CYAC - Chuck Yeager's Air Combat, another recent Mac flight sim.
FBW - Fly By Wire
Four Stars - The rating the December MacWorld gave Falcon MC. Hello?
Gravis Mousestick II - The most common Mac joystick. Many people love
it (I'd hate to play without mine.) but a lot of people think
the stick is too thin or unrealistic, or don't like the
drifting problem. The Mousestick I is a different joystick
that is not supported by F/A-18.
GS or GSC - Graphic Simulations, the company that publishes F/A-18.
HotP - Hellcats over the Pacific, GS' previous game.
Immelman - A maneuver to change direction while increasing altitude.
It is essentially a vertical climb, then a half roll.
SA - Situational Awareness.
Split-S - A maneuver to change direction while losing altitude but
gaining speed. Invert, then pull a half loop.
B. Archives - Tom Morrison keeps a great anonymous ftp archive of F/A-18
stuff (and Hellcats and CYAC) at chemotaxis.biology.utah.edu in the
directory /public/hellcats_feats. It includes pictures, Quicktime
movies, programs and patches. If you're looking for something for
a Mac flight sim, this is the place to check. Thanks to Tom for making
this possible.
> **********************************************************************
> I have setup the offical hornet archive here at Williams. It's
> running on a Sparc 10 and contains the updaters, the 1.1.1 data
> file, the mission map from AOL and the FAQ. It's read only and will
> remain so. If there are addtions anyone would like to make to the
> archive, compress, binhex it and mail it to me. Oh yeah... the
> address is williams.edu. - Jim
> **********************************************************************
C. Patches - The archive listed above is your best bet for finding anything.
Sumex (36.44.06) also occasionally gets stuff.
- FA-18 Mission Chooser (v. 1.0.1) - a program to let you alter the
current mission on a pilot file. A clear, easy to use program,
but use it on a copy of your pilot (not the original) if you
want to be really safe.
- PsychoHornet - A ResEdit resource file that allows you to select
any ordinance in any mission. Includes installation
instructions.
- Copy protection hacks - Sorry, not here. Hate to be preachy,
especially because it's a rather annoying copy protection, but
at least it goes away when you get the code from GS, and this
program is definitely worth buying...
- GS bug fixes - The bug fixs are out. At this point, there
are updaters for 1.0 to 1.1.0 and and updater for
1.1.0 to 1.1.1. You MUST, do it in that order. Rumor
as it that there will be a 1.0 to 1.1.1 updater available
but I haven't seen it. There is also a new data file
for 1.1. You must have this to run 1.1.*. GSC will
be sending out disks to registered users to bypass the
need to go through all this in future updates. They can be
found at sumex.stanford.edu, AOL, wuarchive and who knows
where else...
D. Release Notes -
Here's the rundown of what's new and what fixed in version 1.1.0
F/A-18 Hornet Revision History (as of 12/19/93):
*** New Cool Features
- A STICK CONTROL pop-up menu has been added to the preferences dialog
for direct support of third-party joysticks including Gravis
MouseStick( and the new ThrustMaster* Flight Control System
(including seperate throttle and rudder pedals). Please see included
"ThrustMaster Buttons" text file for details. Mouse response has
been inproved for better aircraft handling. The "Mouse/Keyboard"
setting also has better handling with a trackball.
- A DIFFICULTY DIALOG has been added for more control over SAM, AAA,
enemy pilot ratings, missile/Gun lethality, etc. In addition, your
aircraft's sustainable damage can be adjusted from "easy meat" to
"flying tank" (minus the clever wording).
- ARA (Appletalk Remote Access) is now supported allowing direct
modem-to-modem connections using the built-in networking features in
system 7.x. Please contact Apple Computer for information on ARA and
networking.
- RICHER TERRAIN, bases have more individual character for more flight
enjoyment
- COMMAND-I will hide all instrumentation leaving the HUD and
weapons visible. (HUD can still be turned off by using COMMAND-H)
- COMMAND-N will (night/day toggle) adds 12 hours to the world time.
- CYCLE through the four missions at the current pilot level by holding
down the option key while clicking on the "Briefing" button in the
Pilot Window.
- ZOOM keys now available in forward (cockpit) view.
*** New Cool Flight Model
- General flight model has been radically changed for more realism.
- Velocity Vector now shows accurate flight path in real-time and lags
the nose rather than leads it.
- Velocity Vector now flashes when HUD limited (at the edges of the
HUD).
- Auto-gear-up mechanism has been removed in favor of a breakable gear
(watch it!)
- Gear will now break at speeds in excess of 200 Knots on all NON-PAVED
surfaces.
- Gear will now break at speeds in excess of 300 Knots on all PAVED
surfaces.
- AOA indexer is now fully functional and keys only on AOA
(as it should). New indexer colors are green over amber (yellow),
over red. Green is too slow, amber is on-speed, and red is too fast.
Combinations of lights indicate intermediate states. For example:
Green AND amber means SLIGHTLY fast, etc.
- AOA indexer will now shut off as soon as you touch down.
- Nosewheel steering has been incorporated. You can use rudder on
ground.
*** Other Changes to 1.1 from 1.0.x versions
- Radar modes now have independent range "memories," recalling previous
range settings.
- Ground coverage for ARAD and GMTI modes has been redesigned to take
altitude into consideration when imaging. Therefore, the higher you
go, the wider your coverage (up to the maximum ranging currently set).
- Weapons can no longer be released while not flying (on ground).
- Electro Optical camera tracks the current target, designated with the
radar or with the E/O designate "Return." Camera resets to ahead
position when AG weapons is cycled.
- It is now possible to cycle through radar targets using (\) key in
enemy (5) view.
- All weapons except the B-57 nuclear device are now available in
training missions.
- 20MM Cannon lethality has been increased.
- Color for "Fast" mode cue will now be the same as the currently set
HUD color.
- Ejection seat will work at low altitudes.
- Missions will now end automatically when you STOP your engines after
having flown, even if the mission objective has not been completed.
- Panorama mode now works on two monitors. (any size)
- Network code has been radically redesigned.
- New network terrain.
- It is now possible to enter the network world before or without other
players.
*** Addendum
- AutoDoubler 2.x or greater should work fine with Hornet.
*** Undocumented Keys Summary (use during flight):
- COMMAND-I: Hides/Shows instrumentation
- COMMAND-H: Hides/Shows HUD
- COMMAND-C: Changes HUD Color
- COMMAND-R: Resets current mission (Works in training and network
only.)
- Zoom in and out (0 and 9) now work while you are in the cockpit.
- COMMAND-N: Toggles Night/Day (adds 12 hours to clock). Works in
replay too.
*** Fixed
- Replay/resume mission inconsistancy has been fixed.
- Max. on-ground speed of 135 knots bug has been fixed.
- Radar has been totally re-written to eliminate scaling problems on
large monitors.
- Heading displayed in Moving Map is now correct.
- AAMs can no longer be used to hit ground targets effectively.
- Problem with PowerBooks connected to external monitors has been
fixed.
- Problem with keystrokes sticking on occasion has been fixed.
- Panorama mode is now working properly in both color & B/W modes.
- HUD now defaults to Black on B/W Machines.
- It is now possible to select either of two monitors as your main
flight monitor.
- Instruments now draw correctly in all instances under both system 6
and system 7.
- Custom sound driver has been removed.
- Problem with de-brief screen causing freezes should now be fixed.
- "SHOOT" cue will no longer flash while cycling through airborne
targets on radar.
- AGM-62s are now properly rendered on aircraft wings from internal
views.
- Some missions have been fixed for consistant play.
Here's the rundown of what's new and what fixed in version 1.1.1
*** Before Installing!
- Some "System Extensions" may conflict with the installation
process. It is best to install with extensions disabled.
- To start without extensions: - System 7 users: Hold down the
"Shift" key during system startup. - System 6 users: Move system
extensions out of the "System Folder" and restart.
*** New Cool Features
- COMMAND-A toggles between radar altimeter and barometric altimeter
in the HUD. Look for the "R" near the altitude indicator for radar
altitude.
- COMMAND-D dumps fuel to lighten your fuel load. Each time you
depress COMMAND-D, fuel is dumped down to the nearest 1000 pounds.
- COMMAND-G (gas) tops off all internal fuel tanks. You must be
parked (DEAD STOP) on the taxiway (NOT THE RUNWAY.) DO NOT shut your
engines off to refuel, since shutting down engines will end the
current mission. Note that you must be on a friendly base to refuel.
- Pressing both UP & DOWN keys simultaniously will yield a 90
degree up view.
- The HUD can be turned off entirely by hitting COMMAND-H. This can
be useful in helping to track enemy SAMs and air-air missiles by
reducing clutter and increasing visibility.
- Holding down the OPTION key while selecting "Preferences" restores
default settings for the particular Mac being used.
- Game play can be accelerated by hitting COMMAND-F during flight
(not available in net play). This will quadruple the speed at which
everything happens, so use this feature with caution! NOTE: While in
fast mode, some instruments may seem frozen. This is NOT a bug. Simply
come out of fast mode and the instruments will resume their proper
operation.
- You may reset your aircraft to its original starting location and
ordinance at any time during trainning and network play by pressing
COMMAND-R. Note: during network play, a kill will be scored against
you every time you use this option!
*** Joysticks
- Hornet ships with a fully configured set for the Gravis MouseStick
II which should provide perfect control at all monitor sizes. If you
have any questions about MouseStick II operation, or about upgrading
your MouseStick I to a MouseStick II, please contact Advanced Gravis
at (604) 431-5020 for details.
- Thrustmaster A.C.C.S. is fully supported, including stick, throttle,
and rudder pedals. For information, please contact Thrustmaster, Inc.
at (503) 639-3200.
- Other joysticks: Use the Gravis setting. DO NOT use the
"Mouse/Keyboard" setting.
- Use the "Mouse/Keyboard" setting for trackball support.
*** Incompatibilities
- After Dark features activation corners which cause it to either
activate or deactivate (sleep/wake corners). Although the mouse
pointer is not seen while playing Hornet, the system tracks its
movements and when it enters that corner, After Dark attempts to
"sleep." This causes the appearance of the mouse pointer and "debris"
following the mouse pointer track. SOLUTION: Disable After Dark
during Hornet play.
- Superclock! has been reported to cause interference with the Hornet
simulation. The problem manifests itself as a jerkiness during flight.
SOLUTION: Disable Superclock! during Hornet play.
- PowerBook Users: Disable "System Rest" mode during Hornet play.
System rest will cause adverse interference with an otherwise smooth
simulation.
*** Memory & Monitor Sizes
- Hornet requires a minimum of 2700 K of free RAM to operate correctly
in 640x480 mode. You'll need to allocate additional memory to
accommodate larger monitor sizes. In general, adding 1000 K of extra
memory to the application will be enough to support play on any
monitor size up to 21". If panorama mode is selected, you should
allocate and additional 2000 K of memory. Some of the symptoms of a
low memory condition for your monitor size would be things like
strange "garbage" characters being printed in some of your readouts,
or even a total rejection of the mission at load time.
*** Networking
- Players who choose "Fly" while in the Briefing room in network mode
will have a bullet displayed in front of their name to indicate to the
other players on the net that they are ready to fly.
- While in the Briefing room, notes can be typed to members of both
teams before flight simply by typing the message and hitting RETURN
to "send." Private messages (those which can only be seen by your
team mate), can be sent by typing out the message and then holding
down the OPTION key while hitting RETURN.
*** Helpful Notes
- Slow your mouse speed down to one of the slower speeds. The mouse
speed is controlled by the Mouse control panel, located in "Control
Panels" under the Apple menu item. Try various speeds to see which
feels the most comfortable. This can help if the airplane controls
seem too sensitive.
Thanks to Brad Ward, Adam Talcott, Jim McKee, Russell Jordan, Tom Morrison,
Scott Cherkofsky, Mike Chan, Jaymie Parker, Dieder Bylsma, John Manning,
Dave Zack, Josh Laurence, Bill Lee, James Knights, Siqi Tan, Todd Heberlein.
Dieder Bylsma, Ward "The Beave" Vuillemot, Elliott Francis and
Herschel Gelman who've sent information to help compile this.
More info, tactics, suggestions, corrections, etc. are always welcome. Mail
them to Jim Anderson at James.C.Anderson@williams.edu.
Jim Anderson
3/16/94
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Jim Anderson Williams College
Systems Manager Center for Computing
janderson@williams.edu Jesup Hall
Williamstown, MA 01267
413-597-2082
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